UPDATE 2-John Lennon's killer denied parole for 7th time

August 23, 2012|Reuters

* Mark Chapman has come up for parole every two years since2000

* Lennon's killer remains in maximum-security facility

(Adds quote from the parole board)

NEW YORK, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Mark David Chapman, who shotand killed former Beatle John Lennon 32 years ago, was deniedparole for a seventh time, New York State's Department ofCorrections said on Thursday.

Chapman, 57, is serving a prison sentence of 20 years tolife for shooting Lennon four times in the back outside themusician's New York City apartment building on Dec. 8, 1980. Hepleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Chapman has come up for parole every two years since 2000and has been turned down each time.

"Despite your positive efforts while incarcerated, yourrelease at this time would greatly undermine respect for the lawand tend to trivialize the tragic loss of life which you causedas a result of this heinous, unprovoked, violent, cold andcalculated crime," Sally Thompson, the parole board's "decidingboard member, wrote to Chapman, according to a departmentstatement.

A parole board hearing on Chapman was held earlier this weekat Wende Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison inAlden, New York, where he is being held, the department said.

After his last hearing in 2010, the three-member paroleboard cited in denying the request the disregard Chapman"displayed for the norms of our society and the sanctity ofhuman life."

Ahead of that hearing, the parole division received dozensof letters arguing against Chapman's release, including one fromLennon's widow, Yoko Ono, who said she believed Chapman posed arisk to her, Lennon's two sons, the public and himself.

Chapman was transferred in May to Wende from AtticaCorrectional Facility, the maximum-security penitentiary inAttica, New York, where he had been held for 31 years.

A corrections spokesman said at the time Chapman was placedin protective custody at Wende, but the reason was not madepublic. Wende is in western New York, east of Buffalo.

(Reporting By Dan Burns and Edith Honan; Editing by StaceyJoyce and Philip Barbara)